The Villainous Family Loves Me Too Much!

After his bizarre experience in the other world, Ferrel Felosite, Archduke and Robben’s lord, was no longer the same person.

Unsurprisingly, Robben too had changed.

Even when with his betrothed Hairen, memories of that novel kept resurfacing.

If he himself dwelled on it so, his son Prince Lucian must have been far more preoccupied.

One day, the Archduke secretly summoned Robben alone.

“What is the matter, Your Highness? Calling me to such an unusual place…”

“A private discussion between us two.”

The Archduke had called Robben to an abandoned tower behind the Felosite palace.

“I’ve been researching something, you see.”

What he produced from his pocket resembled the ‘phones’ from that other world.

“Is this not the ‘phone’ we witnessed back then? How did you…”

“I studied a method to communicate using magic stones. We shall call these ‘communication stones’. Like that world, we can exchange written letters too.”

“Truly remarkable, Your Highness!”

“This one is yours. Let’s be the first to utilize and commercialize this innovation.”

Witnessing such ingenious adaptation within their own environment, Robben could only marvel at Ferrel’s brilliance.

Yet curiously, Ferrel himself seemed unaware of his exceptional aptitude.

The reason being, among the Felosite scions, he alone lacked the family’s innate abilities.

Unlike other red-eyed Felosites bearing powerful mana reserves, Ferrel possessed no magical eyes. As the magical eye symbolized one’s innate mana capacity, Ferrel expended mana far more rapidly than his kin.

However, in crafting and handling magical artifacts, his genius talents outstripped all others.

“This… could aid Lucian’s future prospects.”

Ferrel also recreated skyscrapers, elevators, and self-propelled carriages glimpsed in that other world.

Thanks to his efforts, Felosite – already technologically advanced compared to other nations – progressed even further.

He devoted all his energy into bolstering Felosite’s capital and technological prowess.

All for the sake of his son, Lucian Felosite.

As Lucian’s mentor, Robben too diligently performed his duties.

Thus, Lucian reached eighteen, and the day of visiting the Empire drew near.

“Sir Robben.”

Though long prepared, one lingering concern weighed on the Archduke’s mind:

‘My sacrifice for my son is understandable, but for you, Robben…’

The fact that his most loyal vassal and dearest friend would become the first humanoid monster.

“For this imperial visit, I would have you remain behind. I’ll take the other knights instead, so you…”

“No, Your Highness. I too have read that novel’s contents. I have considered this at length. If I avoid becoming a demon beast… the plot’s progression could drastically alter in unknowable ways.”

So the two steeled themselves for the inevitable.

Yet for Robben, that day didn’t mark the end.

Though assaulted by Lucian’s unbridled rage, he was promptly rescued by Heinrich Felosite.

“It was my son’s earnest plea – to save you, so you could live an ordinary life.”

Though forced into hermitage as a deceased man by society’s reckoning, his days passed contentedly.

His beloved Hairen thankfully chose to share this potentially perilous, solitary existence by his side.

Countless tests and efforts were required to resist his human predatory urges.

Ultimately, they discovered potatoes helped suppress beast cravings, enabling Robben to live as a farmer.

Yet he often wondered about Prince Lucian’s fate.

“Best not inquire about Lucian. It would only burden you further.”

Periodically, Heinrich Felosite would visit Robben’s remote dwelling at Felosite’s very outskirts – that nebulous border between the domain and the outside world.

An isolated area where even basic provisions proved difficult to obtain.

“Lucian believes you perished that day.”

And now that very Prince Lucian stood before Robben, a grown man hardened by life.

With that inscrutable demeanor, having once nearly slain Robben himself, asking about…

“Anything, Your Highness. I’ll answer anything you ask.”

* * *

“Does your daughter… possess demon beast blood as well?”

To Lucian’s inquiry, Sir Robben calmly nodded without the slightest surprise.

While I too was taken aback by the very question, Robben’s unhesitating candid response proved even more astonishing.

“But how is that possible?”

However, he couldn’t readily answer my follow-up:

“I don’t know the reasons myself. That child was simply born a humanoid monster from birth. All due to my own failings…”

“No, the fault lies with me, Master.”

As if recalling his awakening, Lucian squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

“If I hadn’t turned you into a monster, your daughter would never have been born one.”

Lucian’s tightly clenched fists trembled violently.

“So let me resolve this matter properly. But I need your help, Master.”

Lucian proposed researching a cure to revert humanoid monsters back into humans.

“If successful, we could restore you, your daughter, and all those turned into demon beasts back to their original human states.”

Participants included Jonathan, the Archmage, and magicians from Felosite’s research institute.

“We could save this world and allow your daughter an ordinary life.”

By reverting the Great Demon Beast Liam and all humanoid monsters to humans, this world’s prophesied apocalypse could be averted.

But achieving that proved far more arduous than expected…

“I’m afraid I know nothing about such matters, Your Highness.”

“Don’t be uncooperative. As the Ancient Witch, how could you not know?”

No matter how they pressed Colin, she provided no helpful information whatsoever.

“As I’ve said, I too am a reincarnated soul. Creating humanoid monsters was simply imitating the former Archduke’s accidental achievement.”

“Seriously! You’re absolutely useless!”

“You fool. Why revert them to humans? Just kill them, it’s far simpler.”

Beatrice scoffed cynically with a mocking laugh.

“I must have lost my mind, even considering negotiating with you.”

Abruptly standing, I pried open the wormhole’s gap.

“Rena.”

Sena then whispered from behind:

“The wormhole is considerably weakened now. Eliminating the Great Demon Best is important, but remember – those two cannot be allowed to leave.”

“Understood. Thank you, Sena.”

“Actually, there may be a way to revert humanoid monsters to humans in this world. According to my storyline settings, your Abilities can achieve that, Rena. But be careful – the more you utilize your Abilities, the weaker the existing wormhole becomes.”

* * *

“My Abilities, you say…”

After that conversation with Sena, I ruminated deeply over her words:

Light. The gap in space-time. Reversion to human. Time.

That’s it…!

“Of course! I can use my Abilities to rewind their souls’ time back before their beast transformations!”

I sprang up, smacking my forehead in realization.

‘Why didn’t I think of this brilliant solution sooner?’

But to accomplish that, I would need to create a new wormhole.

Since a wormhole is effectively a gap in space-time, I could guide their souls through that gap and re-emerge at the point when they were still human.

However, a rather significant obstacle remained…